Nutrition month celebration launched in North Garo Hills

TURA, Sep 2: With an aim to improve the nutritional outcomes of children less than six years of age, adolescent girls, pregnant and lactating mothers, North Garo Hills’ Deputy Commissioner, R P Marak on Friday launched the Poshan Maah programme in the district.
Speaking as the chief guest during the programme, RP Marak lauded the initiatives of the government in its aims to uplift the economic condition of the people through various welfare programmes. The focus of Poshan Maah is to improve the overall nutrition status of both children and women with the objective to spread the awareness of nutrition to every household in all the villages within the district, he said. “For the people to be able to afford nutritious food their socio-economic condition has to be enhanced and therefore the government’s programmes are embedded in improving the wellbeing of the people”, Marak added. Citing an example of FOCUS +, an expansion of Government’s flagship initiative FOCUS programme, he said that the initiative of providing financial support to members of the producers group will transform the livelihood of the people.
Stressing on the theme “Triggering POSHAN Panchayats for Poshan Maah” which aims at involving village leaders as the central role in bringing more beneficiaries under the programme, Marak urged upon the gathering to form village level standing committees viz; village health councils, village health sanitation & nutrition committee and village employment councils in order to reach the target approach against malnutrition.
The month-long programme from 1st to 30th September will center under key themes of Mahila & Swasthya, Bacha & Shiksha, Gender sensitivity, water conservation and management and traditional food for women and children.